No Dirty Gold

EARTHWORKS

The more you know, the less gold glows.

Human Rights

image

Paolo Aguilar / EPA - Farmers from Piedra Redonda El Amaro during a strike organized in the region of Cajamarca to protest the mining project of Conga, on November 24.

GOLDEN RULEON Human Rights

Obtain the free, prior, and informed consent of affected communities.

Respect basic human rights outlined in international conventions and law.

Right to Land

Rural communities and indigenous peoples often lack legal title to their lands, even though they may have occupied the same lands for many generations. In many countries the law does not recognize indigenous peoples as owners of their lands. Consequently, they are often vulnerable to eviction when a mining lease is granted.

This may be imposed without prior consultation, meaningful compensation, or the offer of equivalent lands elsewhere.

The forced relocation, physical attacks, and loss of livelihoods that comes with land expropriations are all serious human rights violations.

Free Prior Informed Consent

Local communities around the world are demanding that new mining projects only go forward with their approval.This concept is called "free, prior, and informed consent" or FPIC and is recognized for indigenous peoples under an international convention. FPIC protects the international human right that “all peoples have the right to self-determination” and linked to the right to self determination, “all peoples have the right to freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”.

A close examination of the social impacts of the mining industry reveals a consistent pattern of disregard for community rights to free, prior, and informed consent as well as other basic human rights.

For more information:

Tagged with: mining, human rights, fpic